Vehicle systems

ABSTRACT

A vehicle system comprising multiple interconnected components, among them an electronic control unit, essentially as disclosed herein, with reference to and as shown in FIGS.  1  to  10  of the accompanying drawings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vehicle systems, for example, anautomated transmission system or an automated gear shift system for amotor vehicle.

Automated transmission systems for motor vehicles, such as in BritishPatents 2308413, 2354296, 2354295, 2358443, 0105186.1, 0029453.8,0026423.4, 0025848.3, 0025847.5, 0029454.6, 0025000.1, 0024999.5,0026178.4, 0027640.2, 0028310.1, 0031624.0, 0103312.5, whose content isexpressly incorporated in the disclosure content of the presentinvention, include various components, for example an hydraulic pressuresupply unit, a valve unit, a gear shift mechanism and an electroniccontrol unit, which are installed in the vehicle either as originalequipment or as upgrades and even as spare parts installed duringmaintenance of the vehicles.

In order to function correctly, the various components for the systemmust be calibrated, and the electronic control unit must be programmedusing the important identifiers of the components. This may be performedafter installation of the system in the vehicle. However, it isdesirable for individual components to be pre-calibrated by means ofbench tests and the identifier of each component to be entered in thecontrol unit when the system is installed or when a component in thesystem is replaced.

It is also desirable for each component of the system to be identifiedto ensure that the correct part is installed in the system and to offerprotection from imitation parts.

Bar coding of the various components of the system has previously beenused for this purpose, the various bar codes being read using a scannerwhen the system is installed in the vehicle and the data being enteredin the electronic control unit.

This method of marking the various components of the system has thedisadvantage that the bar code must be visible so it is possible to scanthem. This is not always possible when the system is installed in thevehicle. Moreover, it is easy for the bar codes to be covered with dirtor to detach from the components.

The present invention provides an improved method for calibrating suchsystems.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method forcalibrating a vehicle system comprising multiple interconnectedcomponents, among them an electronic control unit, includes theattachment to each component of the system of an unpowered,semiconductor-based electronic transponder unit that responds to a radiosignal, encoding of the transponder unit with data that pertains to thecomponent, and excitation of the transponder unit using a radio scannerto read the data from the transponder unit and write the data into theelectronic control unit after the component has been installed in thevehicle system.

Using the electronic marking means according to the present invention,the radio scanner only needs to be disposed in the vicinity of thetransducer in order to read the data and thereby overcomes thedifficulty of reading data from unfavorably positioned components.Furthermore, the transponders may also be read, even if they are heavilysoiled. Electronic, semiconductor-based transponders of the type usedare also capable of storing more data than are able to be represented ina bar code.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is then described, only as an example, with reference tothe accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a semi-automatic transmission system of amotor vehicle;

FIG. 2 shows a gear shift mechanism and the associated selection gate ofthe transmission system that is represented in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows the hydraulic actuation system of thetransmission system represented in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the main controlvalve of the hydraulic actuation system represented in FIG. 3 in anexcited second position;

FIG. 5 shows a view similar to FIG. 4 of the main control valve in anexcited third position;

FIG. 6 shows a view similar to FIG. 4 of the main control valve in anexcited fourth position;

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the gear shiftcontrol valve of the hydraulic actuation system represented in FIG. 3 inan excited third position;

FIG. 8 shows a view similar to FIG. 7 of the gear shift control valve inan excited third position;

FIG. 9 shows a view similar to FIG. 7 of the gear shift control valve inan excited fourth position; and

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the transmission system represented inFIGS. 1 to 9 adapted to be calibrated according to the method of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows an engine 10 having a starterand an associated starter circuit 10 a that is coupled by the main drivefriction clutch 14 via a transmission shaft 15 to a multi-speed,synchronized transmission of the type having a countershaft 12. Theengine is supplied with fuel via a throttle 16, the throttle including athrottle slide valve 18, that is actuated by the gas pedal 19. Theinvention is equally applicable for gasoline or diesel engines havingelectronic or mechanical fuel injection.

Clutch 14 is actuated by a release fork 20, which on its part isactuated by a hydraulic slave cylinder 22 that is controlled by theclutch actuator control means 38.

A gear selection lever 24 operates in a shift gate 50 having two legs 51and 52 that are connected by a transverse track 53, which extendsbetween the end of leg 52 and a position between the ends of leg 51.Control gate 50 defines five positions: “R” at the end of leg 52, “N” inthe center between the ends of transverse track 53, “S” at the junctionpoint of leg 51 and transverse track 53, and “+” and “−” at the ends ofleg 51. In leg 51 lever 24 is aligned at the outset with centralposition “S”. The “N” position of selection lever 24 corresponds toneutral; “R” corresponds to the selection of reverse gear; “S”corresponds to the selection of a forward drive mode; the brief movementof the lever into the “+” position represents a command that causes thetransmission to shift up one gear step; and the brief movement of thegear selection lever 24 into the “−” position represents a command thatcauses the transmission to shift down one gear step.

The positions of lever 24 are detected by a series of sensors, such asmicroswitches or optical sensors, that are disposed around shift gate50. The signals of the sensors are fed to an electronic control unit 36.An output of control unit 36 controls a gear engagement mechanism 25,which engages the gear ratios of transmission 12 according to themovement of selection lever 24 by the driver of the vehicle.

In addition to the signals of gear selection lever 24, control unit 36receives signals from: Sensor 19 a, which indicates the degree to whichgas pedal 19 is depressed; sensor 30, which indicates the degree towhich throttle control valve 18 is opened; sensor 26, which indicatesthe engine speed; sensor 42, which indicates the speed of the drivenclutch plate; and sensor 34, which indicates the position of the clutchslave cylinder.

Control unit 36 uses the signals of these sensors to control theactuation of clutch 14 when starting out from the idle position and whenchanging gears, as is described, for example, in the descriptions ofEuropean patents 0038113, 0043660, 0059035 and 0101220 and WIPO patent092/13208, whose contents are expressly incorporated in the disclosurecontent of the present invention.

In addition to the aforementioned sensors, control unit 36 also stillreceives signals from a vehicle speedometer 57, from ignition lock 54and from brake switch 56, which is associated with the main brakingsystem of the vehicle, for example, foot brake 58.

A buzzer 55 is connected to control unit 36 in order to warn the driverof the vehicle, or to indicate to him if certain operating conditionsare occurring. In addition to or instead of buzzer 55, a flashingwarning light or other display means may be used. A gear indicator 60 isalso provided to indicate the selected gear.

As described in FIG. 2, the gear engagement mechanism 25 includes threeshift rails 111, 112, 113 that are mounted parallel to each other formovement in an axial direction. Each shift rail 111, 112, 113 isconnected in a standard way via a shift fork and a synchronizer to twoof the gear ratios of transmission 12, so the movement of shift rails111, 112, 113 in an axial direction causes the engagement of one of thegears and the axial movement of shift rails 111, 112, 113 in theopposite axial direction causes the engagement of the other gear.

Typically, first and second gear are assigned to shift rail 111, so theaxial movement of shift rail 111 in a first direction engages firstgear, or the axial movement of shift rail 111 in a second directionengages second gear; third and forth gears are assigned to shift rail112, so the axial movement of shift rail 112 in a first directionengages third gear or the axial movement of shift rail 112 in a seconddirection engages fourth gear; and fifth gear and reverse are assignedto shift rail 113, so the axial movement of shift rail 113 in the firstdirection engages fifth gear, while the axial movement of shift rail 113in the second direction engages the reverse gear.

A selection device element 110 is mounted for a movement in a selectdirection X transverse to the axes of shift rails 111, 112, 113 and in ashift direction Y, which represents an axial movement with respect toshift rails 111, 112, and 113. Selection device element 110 may be movedfrom there in a selected direction X along a neutral plane A-B, so itmay be indexed with one of shift rails 111, 112 and 113 and engage in aselected shift rail. Selection device element 110 may then be moved in ashift direction Y in order to move the occupied shift rail 111, 112, 113axially in one of the two directions to engage one of the gears that areassociated with them.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, selection device element 110 is movable inselected direction X by means of a first actuator 114 that is actuatedby fluid pressure along neutral plane A-B, as illustrated in FIG. 2, inorder to align selection device element 110 with one of shift rails 111,112 or 113 and thereby select a gear pair that is assigned to the shiftrail. Selection device element 110 may then be moved in shift directionY by means of a fluid-pressure operated actuator 115, in order to moveshift rail 111, 112 or 113 axially in one of the two directions toengage one of the gears assigned thereto.

Actuators 114 and 115 each comprise a double-acting ram with pistons 116and 117, respectively, which divide the actuators into two workingchambers 118, 119, working chambers 118, 119 being disposed on oppositesides of each piston 116, 117. Engagement rods 114 a, 115 a extend fromone side of piston 116 and 117, respectively, and are operativelyconnected to selection device element 110 for movement thereof in theselect and shift directions X and Y, respectively. As a result of theconnection of engagement rods 114 a to X and Y, the working surface ofpistons 116, 117, that faces working chamber 118 is smaller than theworking surface of pistons 116, 117 that faces working chamber 119.

A solenoid-controlled main control valve 120 comprises a housing 122,which defines a valve cylinder 124. A piston valve 126 is disposedwithin valve cylinder 124 in such a manner as to be able to slide,piston valve 126 having three axially spaced surrounding ribs 128, 130,132 that engage the valve cylinder in such a manner as to seal it. Asolenoid 134 acts at one end of piston valve 126 so that when solenoid134 is excited, piston valve 126 moves axially within valve cylinder 124against a load that is exerted by a compression spring 136, which on itspart acts on the opposite end of piston valve 126.

An inlet 138 into valve cylinder 124 of valve 120 is connected to aspring accumulator 275. Spring accumulator 275 comprises a piston 285that is sealed in a cylinder 286 in such a manner that it is movable. Aspring 287 acts on one side of piston 285 biasing it to one end ofcylinder 286. An electrically driven pump 223 is provided in order tocharge accumulator 275 via a check valve 276, supplying fluid to theside of piston 285 that is away from spring 287, whereupon spring 287 iscompressed and the fluid is placed under pressure. The side of piston285 from which spring 287 acts is vented and serves as a fluidequalizing vessel 278 for the system. A pressure transducer 282 isprovided between spring accumulator 275 and inlet 138 of main valve 120in order to measure the accumulator pressure and transmit signalscorresponding to the pressure to control unit 36.

An outlet 140 from valve cylinder 124 is connected to equalizing vessel278. A first opening 142 of valve cylinder 124 is connected to workingchambers 118 of select and shift actuators 114, 115 and selectivelyconnected to working chambers 119 via select and shift valves 144, 146,and a second opening 148 is connected to clutch slave cylinder 22. Apressure relief valve 280 is provided between the outlet of pump 223 andequalizing vessel 278 in order to ensure that the pressure that issupplied by pump 223 does not exceed a maximum predetermined value.

Select and shift valves 144, 146 are both solenoid-controlled valves,each of which has a housing 150 by which a valve cylinder 151 is definedhaving a piston valve 152 that is installed in valve cylinder 151 such amanner as to be able to slide. Piston valve 152 has three axially spacedribs 154, 156, 158, the ribs engaging with valve cylinder 151 in such amanner as to seal it. An axial bore 160 opens at end 162 of piston valve152 and provides the connection to a transverse bore 164, transversebore 164 opening between ribs 154 and 156 of piston valve 152. Asolenoid 166 acts on an end 168 of piston valve 152 that is away fromend 162 so that, upon excitation of solenoid 166, piston valve 152 movesaxially within valve cylinder 151 against a load that is exerted by acompression spring 170, which on its part acts on end 162 of pistonvalve 152.

An inlet 172 of valve cylinder 151 is connected to opening 142 of maincontrol valve 120. An outlet 174 from valve cylinder 151 is connected toequalizing vessel 278. Opening 178 of select valve 144 is connected tosecond working chamber 119 of select actuator 114, and opening 178 ofshift valve 146 is connected to second working chamber 119 of shiftactuator 115.

The structure and operation of valves 144 and 146 and actuator 114 and115 are identical to that which is represented in FIGS. 7 to 9.

If the transmission is engaged in a gear and clutch 14 is engaged,solenoids 134 and 166 are not excited, and valves 120, 144 and 146 arein the idle positions that are represented in FIG. 3. In this position,clutch slave cylinder 22 is connected via opening 148 and outlet 140 ofmain control valve 120 to equalizing vessel 278; working chambers 118 ofselect and shift actuators 114, 115 are connected to equalizing vessel278 via inlet 172, ports 164, 160 and outlet 174 of select and shiftvalves 144, 146; and working chambers 119 of select and shift actuators114, 115 are connected to equalizing vessel 278 via opening 178 andoutlet 174 of select and shift valves 144, 146. Consequently, there is amovement neither of clutch slave cylinder 22 nor of select and shiftactuators 114, 115.

If a gear change is initiated, for example, by the driver of the vehiclemoving gear selection lever 24 for a moment into the “+” position, or byautomatic initiation, solenoid 134 is excited in order to move pistonvalve 126 of main control valve 120 into a second position, asillustrated in FIG. 4. In this second position, working chambers 118 ofboth the select and shift actuators 114, 115 and inlets 172 of bothselect and shift valves 144, 146 are connected to spring accumulator 275via opening 142 and inlet 138. In this second position, clutch slavecylinder 22 is connected to equalizing vessel 278.

Simultaneously with the excitation of solenoid 134, in order to movemain control valve 120 into the second position represented in FIG. 4,solenoids 166 of select and shift valves 144, 146 are excited in orderto move piston valve 152 into a zero position, as represented in FIG. 7.In this second position, rib 158 of piston valve 152 closes opening 178,whereupon working chamber 119 is closed and an hydraulic lock isdeveloped that hinders the movement of select and shift actuators 114and 115, although working chambers 118 thereof are connected to springaccumulator 275 via main control valve 120. The connection of opening172 to outlet 174 via valve cylinder 160 and 164 is also closed.

Another excitation of solenoid 134 into a third position, as representedin FIG. 5, then closes the connection between the clutch slave cylinderand the equalizing vessel and opens the connection between the clutchslave cylinder and spring accumulator 275, release fork 20 beingactuated to disengage clutch 14.

When clutch 14 is disengaged, solenoid 134 of main control valve 120 maybe excited in order to move the main control valve back into the fourthposition, as illustrated in FIG. 6. In this fourth position, opening 148is separated from inlet 138 and outlet 140, so clutch 14 is held firmlyin the disengaged position. Solenoids 166 of the select and shift valves144, 146 may then be selectively excited, select and shift valves 144,146 being moved between the third and fourth positions in order todisengage the gear that is selected at this moment and engage a newgear.

The excitation of solenoid 166 to move select and shift valve 144, 146into a third position, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in which workingchamber 119 is connected to equalizing vessel 278 while working chamber118 is connected to accumulator 275, creates a pressure differentialacross pistons 116 and 117 that causes engagement rods 114 a, 115 a toextend. The excitation of solenoid 166 to move select and shift valve144, 146 into the fourth position, as represented in FIG. 9, in whichboth working chambers 118 and 119 are connected to spring accumulator275, causes engagement rods 114 a, 115 a to retract because of thedifferent working surfaces of pistons 116 and 117. Consequently,selection device element 110 may be moved by suitable control solenoids166 of select and shift valves 144, 146 in order to engage the desiredgear.

Potentiometers 226 and 227 are connected to engagement rods 114 a or 115a, respectively, in order to provide signals that designate the positionof the associated engagement rods. The signals of potentiometers 226 and227 are fed to control unit 36 in order to provide an indication of theposition of engagement rods 114 a and 115 a for each of the gear ratiosof transmission 12 and also to designate the position of engagement rods115 a when selection device element 110 is located in neutral plane A-Bfrom FIG. 2. The transmission system may thus be calibrated sopredetermined position signals that come from potentiometers 226 and 227correspond to the engagement of each of the gears of transmission 12.

Measurements of potentiometers 226 and 227 may therefore be used by aclosed loop control system to control valves 144 and 146 in order tomove engagement rods 114 a and 115 a to the predetermined positions toengage the desired gear.

When the desired gear has been engaged, solenoids 166 of select andshift valves 144, 146 are excited in order to move valves 144, 146 backinto their zero positions, openings 178 being closed and a hydrauliclocking being produced that prevents a movement of actuators 114, 115.

Solenoid 134 of main control valve 120 may then be excited in order tomove main control valve 120 out of its fourth position into its secondposition, whereupon fluid may be conducted back from clutch slavecylinder 22 into equalizing vessel 278, which enables re-engagement ofclutch 14. Main control valve 120 may be switched between the third andsecond position so clutch 14 is re-engaged in a controlled manner, forexample, as disclosed in European patents 0038113; 0043660; 0059035;0101220 or WIPO patent 92/13208.

When clutch 14 has been re-engaged, solenoid 134 of main control valve120 may be de-energized, so it returns to the idle position that isillustrated in FIG. 3. Solenoids 166 of select and shift valves 144, 146may be de-energized in a similar manner. The movement of select andshift valves 144, 146 into the idle position, which is illustrated inFIG. 3, opens working chamber 119 to equalizing vessel 278, whereuponthe pressure built up therein is relieved.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, accumulator 275, equalizing vessel 278, pump223, check valve 276, pressure relief valve 280 and pressure sensor 282are typically accommodated together within a common housing as anhydraulic power unit 300, which may be disposed at a distance from thevehicle engine where the environment is less harsh and the componentsare more accessible. Gear engagement actuators 114, 115 and gearengagement control valves 144, 146 are also typically joined within acommon housing as a gear engagement actuator unit 302, which may beattached to transmission 12. Electronic control unit 36 may form a partof the hydraulic power unit or, alternatively, may represent anindependent component of the system.

Control unit 36 is electrically connected to hydraulic power unit 300,gear engagement actuator unit 302 and clutch actuator 22, so suitablecontrol signals may be transmitted between the different units andelectronic control unit 36 in order to control, for example, theoperation of pump 223, main control valve 120 and gear engagement valves144, 146 and to receive response messages from the different sensors282, 226, 227 that are associated with components 120, 114, 115.

Furthermore, control unit 36 is also connected via vehicle CAN bus 304to the electronic control units of other systems of the vehicle, forexample, to engine management control unit 306 and brake control unit308. In this way, electronic control unit 36 is able to transmit signalsto engine management control unit 306 in order to control engine speedwhen starting out from the idle phase and when changing gears and alsoin order to receive signals from engine management control unit 306,which provides information about the throttle position, engine speed,etc. Electronic control unit 36 may also receive signals from brakemanagement control unit 308 from the wheel speed sensors that arerelated to the speed of the vehicle.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, each unit 300, 302, 36, 22 that comprises thetransmission system has an unpowered, semiconductor-based transponderunit 310, which is embedded in unit 300, 302, 36, 22. Where units 300,302, 36, 22 have parts that are made out of plastic, for examplehousings or covers, transponder units 310 may be set into these parts.Alternatively, transponder units 310 may be disposed in recesses thatare configured in a housing of components 300, 302, 36, 22 and casttherein using a suitable heat-resistant or chemically resistant mixture.

Transponder units 310 are typically semiconductor components that areconnected to an RF antenna and a tuning capacitor and sealed in acapsule. The semiconductor components are able to store an alphanumericcode comprising 10 to 15 positions and respond to a radio signal of ascanner 312 in order to transmit the alphanumeric code that was pickedup from scanner 312. When encoding in the hexadecimal system, aten-place alphanumeric code provides a quantity of 160 bits, and, whenencoding using the complete United Kingdom alphabet, there are 360 bitsthat may be assigned in groups to represent values that corresponds tothe varying identification information and operating parameters ofvarious units 300, 302, 36, 22.

For example: Bits  0-3 may provide a value that identifies the unit as,for example, a control unit (36), an hydraulic power unit (300) or agear engagement control unit (302);  6-4 the production week number; 8-7 weekday; 12-9 positions/equipment number ID.

This information may be used in order to confirm that the correct unit300, 302, 36, 22 was installed in the system and the unit 300, 302, 36,22 is an original and not an imitation.

Moreover, the semiconductor component may be encoded with informationthat relates to the operating parameters of units 300, 302, 36, 22 towhich they are attached. While the various units 300, 302, 36, 22 arebeing produced in order to provide prescribed nominal operatingfeatures, these parameters will differ from unit to unit based onmanufacturing tolerances. To optimize the operation of the transmissionsystem, it is necessary to measure these parameters and to programcontrol unit 36 with the measured parameters. This can be done at theend of the assembly line when the transmission system has been installedin the vehicle. However, this creates problems related to accuracy andquality control.

Using the method that is covered by the present invention, each unit300, 302, 36, 22 of the transmission control system may be tested on thetest bench after it has been assembled and transponder unit 310 has beenencoded with information related to the operating parameters.

For example, for hydraulic power unit 300, transponder unit 310 may beencoded with values that correspond to the following parameters: Bits29-13 Operating pressure of pressure relief valve; 24-21 Zero current ofthe main control valve solenoid; 28-25 Minimum charge pressure of theaccumulator; 32-29 Pressure sensor calibration factor; 36-33 Pumpcapacity; etc.

In addition to the unit identification and the operating data, whenunits 300, 302, 36, 22 are installed in the vehicle, transponder units310 may also be encoded for security purposes with vehicle informationdata, for example of the VI numbers.

After installation of the various units 300, 302, 36, 22 in a vehicle,transponder units 310 of the various units 300, 302, 36, 22 may bescanned using a hand-held radio scanner 312, which excites transponderunits 310 and reads the codes that are transmitted by transponder units310. This enables accurately checking that the correct units 300, 302,36, 22 have been installed in the vehicle. Moreover, hand-held radioscanner 312 are connected to vehicle CAN bus 304 so that the criticaloperating parameters of the various units 300, 302, 36, 22 may bewritten directly into the electronic control unit 36 via vehicle CAN bus304.

The method of the present invention in further processing allowseffective programming of electronic control unit 36 after theinstallation of the system in a vehicle or the recalibration ofelectronic control unit 36 if a unit 300, 302, 36, 22 of the system isreplaced during maintenance of the vehicle.

While the invention has been described with reference to a motor vehicletransmission system, the invention is of course applicable to othervehicle systems, which include a number of units, an electronic controlunit being among them, and which must be put together to form a system,for example, the engine management control system or brake controlsystem.

The patent claims submitted along with the application are formulationproposals without prejudice for the attainment of further patentprotection. The applicant reserves the right to claim additional featurecombinations that so far are only disclosed in the description and/ordrawings.

References used in the dependent claims point to the further developmentof the subject matter of the main claim by the features of eachdependent claim; they are not to be understood as renunciation of theattainment of a separate, concrete protection for the featurecombinations of the referred dependent claims.

Because the subject matter of the dependent claims may form separate andindependent inventions with respect to the state of the art on thepriority date, the applicant reserves the right to make them the subjectmatter of independent claims or separation statements. They mayfurthermore also include independent inventions that have aconfiguration independent of the subject matter of prior dependentclaims.

The exemplary embodiments are not to be understood as a limitation ofthe invention. Rather, numerous amendments and modifications arepossible within the context of the present publication, especially suchvariants, elements and combinations and/or materials as may be inferredby one skilled in the art with regard to the resolution of the problemusing, for example, a combination or modification of individual featuresor elements or methodological steps that are described in connectionwith the general description and embodiments as well as the claims andthat are contained in the drawings and, using combinable features, leadto a new subject matter or to new methodological steps or methodologicalsequences, even if they pertain to manufacturing, testing and operatingmethod.

1. A method for calibrating a vehicle system comprising multipleinterconnected components, an electronic control unit being among them,the method comprising the attachment of an unpowered,semiconductor-based transponder unit that responds to a radio signal toeach component of the system, the encoding of the transponder unit withdata pertaining to the component, the excitation of the transponder unitusing a radio scanner in order to read the data of the transponder unitand the writing of data into the electronic control unit after thecomponent has been installed in the vehicle system.
 2. The method asdescribed in claim 1 in which the transponder unit is encoded with datapertaining to: identification of the components, operating parameters ofthe components, and/or identification of the vehicle in which thecomponent is installed.
 3. The method as described in claim 1 in whichthe transponder unit includes a semiconductor component having an RFantenna and a tuning capacitor.
 4. The method as described in claim 3 inwhich the semiconductor component is programmed with a 10 to 15-placecode.
 5. The method as described in claim 1 in which said radio scanneris connected to the electronic control unit so that data on thetransponder unit may be directly read into the electronic control unit.6. The method as described in claim 5 in which the radio scanner isconnected to the electronic control unit via a vehicle CAN bus.
 7. Themethod as described claim 1 in which the vehicle system is an automatictransmission system, an engine management control system or a brakecontrol system.
 8. A method for calibrating a vehicle system that hasmultiple interconnected components, among them an electronic controlunit, essentially as described herein, with reference to and as shown inFIGS. 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.
 9. A vehicle systemcomprising multiple interconnected components, among them an electroniccontrol unit, each component including an unpowered, semiconductor-basedtransponder unit, the transponder unit responding to a radio signal totransmit an encoded signal, the encoded signal representing datapertaining to: identification of the component, operating parameters ofthe components, and/or identification of the vehicle in which thecomponent is installed, the encoded signal of each transponder unitbeing readable by means of a radio scanner.
 10. The vehicle system asdescribed in claim 9 in which the radio scanner is connected directly tothe electronic control unit.
 11. The vehicle system as described inclaim 9 in which the transponder unit comprises a semiconductorcomponent having an RF antenna and a tuning capacitor.
 12. The vehiclesystem as described in claim 11 in which the semiconductor component isprogrammed using a 10 to 15-place code.